


Prove My Strength

by ForgottenChesire



Series: Kinktober 2018 [23]
Category: The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), The Chronicles of Riddick Series
Genre: Emotional Support Hellhound Kore, Flashbacks, Kinktober 2018, M/M, Possibly OOC Vaako, Zhylaw was a messed up fucker and Riddick shoulda killed him slower, implied PTSD, mentions of torture, scar appreciation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 16:11:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16390949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForgottenChesire/pseuds/ForgottenChesire
Summary: “Kore, this is the third time this week,” he scolds her gently fighting off a smirk. The fact that he no longer has to deal with Edvin, Trum, and Nayli is a blessing. Edvin and Trum both snotty little pieces of filth that hadn’t been worth Purifying and Nayli was just… She reminded him of Zhylaw. Leering. Touching. Smiling like she knew Vaako better than Selene or Riddick. The rumbling that is a Hellhound’s purr grows louder as Vaako uses his other hand to pet behind her ears. Nayli had been the first to go. Kore slipping in before Vaako even knew that the darkness that comes with his… panic attacks… was upon him.“Eating them does not make the problems go away.”He feels someone’s eyes on him so he hops to his feet. One hand darting to his blaster. Without thinking he steps in front of the Hellhounds. And then he spots Riddick. The breeder is smiling, head tilted. Thrasher is at his side. Why that Hellhound follows him more than Comus, Vaako isn’t sure. Clearing his throat the Commander raises at the man silently daring him to say anything.“I think it’s time for that talk, beautiful.”The walk to the Lord Marshal’s quarters is silent except for the growls of Kratos as he dragged alongside Kore.





	Prove My Strength

**Author's Note:**

> Day 23 Scars
> 
> A direct continuation of Praised Be

Vaako looks down at the Hellhound at his feet. Her silver eyes glow as she proudly presents what Vaako believes is the leg of a particularly annoying Noble. Edvin, Vaako thinks was his name, looking at the garish gold anklet that little Kratos, one of the few pups, keeps trying to bat at. He squats down, hand reaching out not for the leg but to scratch her chin. Ever since that night; and the promise of a talk that hasn’t happened yet, Kore has been stuck to him like glue. Even through the gloves he wears he can feel the thick scales that seem to move much like fur. She leans into his palm, dropping the leg.

 

“Kore, this is the third time this week,” he scolds her gently fighting off a smirk. The fact that he no longer has to deal with Edvin, Trum, and Nayli is a blessing. Edvin and Trum both snotty little pieces of filth that hadn’t been worth Purifying and Nayli was just… She reminded him of Zhylaw. Leering. Touching. Smiling like she knew Vaako better than Selene or Riddick. The rumbling that is a Hellhound’s purr grows louder as Vaako uses his other hand to pet behind her ears. Nayli had been the first to go. Kore slipping in before Vaako even knew that the darkness that comes with his… panic attacks… was upon him.

 

“Eating them does not make the problems go away.”

 

He feels someone’s eyes on him so he hops to his feet. One hand darting to his blaster. Without thinking he steps in front of the Hellhounds. And then he spots Riddick. The breeder is smiling, head tilted. Thrasher is at his side. Why that Hellhound follows him more than Comus, Vaako isn’t sure. Clearing his throat the Commander raises at the man silently daring him to say anything.

 

“I think it’s time for that talk, beautiful.”

 

“As you command.”

 

The walk to the Lord Marshal’s quarters is silent except for the growls of Kratos as he dragged alongside Kore. Thrasher is a few steps ahead of them and Vaako can hear the click of claws that means that one of the others are behind them.

 

He envies the ease that Riddick has as he simply enters his room. Vaako falters, just a step, a hitch in his breath as Zhylaw whispers in his ear. Kore presses into his legs, too low for stability help but a comforting warmth. The Lord Mashal’s chambers are large with a sitting area, a bedroom, and a bathing room. Zhylaw had had a bed in the sitting room and the bedroom was for… more creative fun times. Under Riddick’s rule that has changed.

 

There are two fully grown Hellhounds in the room; Gnasher and Nyx, who hop down from the couch when they see their Alpha. Vaako stands at attention, falling back on formality in his discomfort, hands folded primly behind his back.

 

“I know I ain’t the softest lover but it’s twice you’ve spaced. That Kore has had to physically separate us.”

 

Vaako blinks. He hadn’t known that Kore was there the first time. Riddick circles him, slowly unlatching the heavy armor that Vaako wears. It falls to the ground with varying  _ clunks  _ and  _ clinks _ . Then hands pull his undershirt up and off.

 

“Why.”

 

“My lack of Purification,” Vaako starts, ignoring the growl it gets him, “I am unable to ignore things I had thought I had locked away.”

 

When he says no more on the subject Riddick drags him to the couch. Forces him to sit down. His hands roaming over his skin. Riddick finds a scar. On his collarbone. A simple Z.

 

“Bet the missus really liked that,” he says. The change of subject instead of pressing throws Vaako.

 

“She did… at first. Thought it meant that we would be gaining privileges. Climbing ladders that she could only climb with me at her side.”

 

Riddick tilts his head and his hand travels up to his Purification scar on the left side of his neck. Vaako flinches, hands seeking out Kore. The Hellhound is warm under his hands, gloves pulled off when he wasn’t looking, but still slate grey. The hands go down to a rather vicious burn scar.

 

“What about this? Battle?”

 

“My first,” Vaako confirms with a proud look on his face. Riddick’s hands find and trace a line from pec to hip, one that is overlaid with others. Over and over Riddick asks and Vaako answers. The ones that Zhylaw had a hand in making get kisses pressed onto them like Riddick is trying to erase the other man from Vaako’s skin.

 

“He hurt you a lot,” Riddick speaks, muses out loud after Vaako explains how he got a pucked scar right above his belly button. 

 

Zhylaw never harmed his face. But everything else was fair game. Selene’s makeup, waterproof and insanely hard to get off, helped on those days when he wanted to show a little skin. That particular scar was a time Vaako would like to forget. He had been bad. Had disappointed his Lord Marshal. Let a young child, bright green eyes and black hair who cried for his big brother, go despite the fact he had killed one of Vaako’s men. Zhylaw hadn’t fucked him at first. Hadn’t praised him. Just tied him down. Stabbed him and then stuck his fingers into the wound. Pulled and pulled until the wound grew. Then, after he had Vaako begging for forgiveness, that little boy was dragged over. Broken and bleeding from places children shouldn’t be bleeding from, the little boy stood broken. A knife was pressed into Vaako’s now untied hands.  **_Kill him, Vaako. Prove that you really are sorry. Be my good pet._ **

 

Something bites down on his hand. Jarring him from his memory. Kore is there, scale-like fur a bright orange, mouth tugging on his hand.

 

“There’s more to it than you told me.”

 

Not a question, just stating facts.

 

“Yes.”

 

Vaako raises a hand, the one not in Kore’s mouth, to his purification scar. The one that Riddick had tried to touch. The one that is darker. Ugly compared to its twin.

 

“I had Zhylaw’s favor. But that did not mean comfort. It meant that he found out my weaknesses and twisted them. My positive reaction to praise,” Vaako’s eyes are on Kore so he misses how Riddick sits up, “Always asking things and praising me as he tore me apart.  _ Such a good pet. So loyal. You’ll make me happy won’t you? _ ”

 

Fur that had started to go back to grey flares up into orange.

 

“I could have handled the pain. The slicing, and biting, and burning. Physical and numbed by the Purifications. But he tied it to praise. Told me how I was a good pet as he sliced open a Purification scar. He knew what the praise did to me. One night he had me on my side. Told me not to move and then dropped this metal object onto the scar. It didn’t hurt at first…”

 

_ But then it started heating up. Started burning far worse than any blaster blast he had ever gotten. He could smell his flesh frying. Zhylaw is speaking. Hands running through his hair. _

 

This time it’s not a bite but being unable to breathe that brings him back. Kore, Gnasher, and Kratos are all trying to smother him. It would be funny if Zhylaw wasn’t right there.

 

“I can’t make him leave.”

 

A whispered confession. Hoping that Riddick won’t break him like Zhylaw. Vulnerability has never been something Vaako was good at. Even when he was a breeder. It was easier to beat things into submission than admit that he was scared or hurt. And if Riddick does try than Vaako will promote him to Dead and… only regret it a small amount.

 

“Get off him.”

 

Gnasher and Kratos climb down quickly. Kore and Riddick stare each other down and slowly, like a Tech that doesn’t want to leave behind something new she leaves his lap. Then Riddick is looming above him.

 

“Shoulda killed the fucker slower.”

 

The kiss is almost gentle, the hand cupping his face safe.

 

“My scars do not make me weak,” Vaako states firmly when they pull apart.

 

“They prove you are strong,” Riddick agrees.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:  
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